Question: I am an African-American female interested in rhinoplasty surgery. I have read that with ethnic noses, there are added obstacles that surgeons must be aware of. What are these obstacles, and how likely is it that I will have a successful surgery?

Answer: African-American noses have several common characteristics such as relatively flat dorsum, wide or flaring alae; thick skin; and poor tip support or weak cartilages. It is important that the rhinoplasty surgeon understands these traits and has a plan to address them accordingly. Furthermore, a good rhinoplasty surgeon should be able to appreciate sometimes-subtle intra-ethnic differences as well.